Meme

When I was tagged by Sirisha of Ambrosia ..of Indian Indulgences and Saju of
Chachi’s kitchen for a meme.. I thought why not. Let me expose my inner thoughts for the fellow bloggers to see and realize that they are reading the blog of one serious chick ( I know… I called myself a chick, isn’t that for 20 or less … so what I say…I’ll do as I please ;)

This meme is not some random things about urself.. I gotta synchronize my thoughts with my middle name which is…. I do not have one! But planning to get soon …when I become a citizen.The middle name I am going to have is kamala,that is my mom’s name. I have always felt that mom’s are not acknowledged in our names… tamilians take in their dad’s name.. so i am going to add my amma's name as my middle.

First with the rules: this is lifted of Sirisha's blog.. that is how we are s'posed to do
You have to post these rules before you give the facts.
* Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of their middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
* When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts.
* At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag.
Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

So let us begin:

K- kidness. This emotion is so under-rated. I think all of us look at unexpected kidness with a wary eye.. can u believe what the world has come too… I really hope we can change our mindset and accept things at face value..it is hard, but worth a try.

A- anxious. Why are so many of us anxious? Oh! M has bought a $700 K home… we have a $300 K home maybe we will no longer be friends. X thinks if I do not starve myself silly, I may never get a boyfriend. Many people are thinking (it is a fact) if i do not get up at 1:00 am on thanksgiving I will miss that deal in best-buy… really people stop it. Stop making things to a bigger deal that what they are…learn to enjoy life.

M –mediocre. Yes, I said it.. what is wrong in being just normal and not some super achiever? Is reaching the top so important that we squish everyone below us? All of us have been to school, there has to be a second for someone to get first. But, does that mean the second rank, 10th rank ,even 50th rank person is a no good loser…how can everyone be an Indira Nooyi there is nothing wrong in being Rajitha Mani.. who is Rajitha Mani …you get the point right! it is ok.. be a kind, loving person. It is important.

A-annoyed. Nothing wrong in getting annoyed. Why is showing of any displeasure looked down upon society? You need not have a B*&*h fit, but what is wrong in telling.. hey! I don’t like the way you are behaving with me.. or stop! That hurt my feeling.. Don’t you think it is better to say it out and get some irritation out than make a doll at home and stick needles to it in all places…( promise, I have not done this!- inspired by kashmora- telugu movie!)

L- love. Why trivialize this word. People are embarrassed to express love. I do not mean a full on French in the middle of the road, but remem when we were kids, if we loved somebody, we would go up to them and tell them straight away, no shyness or maybe they don’t love me discussion in the head. I think at-least we girls are much better, I have seen guys getting embarrassed to give a hug to their buds.. it is like woah! They may think I am gay.. what a load of crap really.

A-appreciate. Appreciate what you have in life. Be happy that you have all your senses in good working condition and you are healthy and an able human being. Stop cribbing that you are a size 14, I am too dark, I am short.. get over it. Accept yourself. Another thing, appreciate people around you, your spouse, your parents, siblings, friends… everyone whom you love and let them know. Life is too short and sometimes people go away to a place where you can never meet them but only remember and there should never be a I wish I had told him/her how much I appreciate them….

So, after this long sentimental post u think.. hmm so what is the relevence to my life?? everything, and honestly after this loong post i have no energy to explain so I am off to eat soup… and whom do I tag.. anyone who reads this and wants to do it, please go ahead .. I believe in equal opportunity ;)

Tomato Cheese Salad

It was crazy hot here and our a.c has stopped working... i really have to call the repair guy today. If it was India i would have had a big fit and cribbed and cried to my mom.. now since i am the adult here.. i have to suck it up and call the guy without a meltdown ( lit and fig!)
I was in the mood for a quick for substancial snack.. and i thought of the classic tomato mozerella and basil salad . But here i had a different set of ingredients, i of-course had tomatoes.. but sub the other stuff.



For the salad....

Ingredients:

Heirloom tomato -1, try if you can buy the funky shaped or rich color ones
Halloumi Cheese - 1/2 a block (again if u are a veg, make sure of vegetarian rennet)
Rosemary - few sprigs
Chilly olive oil - 1 tsp. (just infused chilly flakes with the oil- made a huge jar!)
Pepper - few twists

Method:

1. Slice the tomato into 1/2 inch disks. ( serrated kinife works best)

2. Slice the halloumi into 1/2 inch slices if possible (any thinner, they break apart)

3. Heat a skillet to med-high and brown the halloumi on both sides ( no need to add oil.. please) people! we are browning cheese!

4. Take a plate and arrange the tomato slices in single layer, top each slice of tomato with a slice of the cheese. Now sprinkle rosemary of top of each, a twist of pepper on each tomato and drizzle the olive oil on top. Pick up each tomato slice and enjoy.... and no, you do not have to share ;)

Note:
i did not add any salt, as halloumi is pretty salty, to read more about halloumi go
here

the olive oil is optional, really not needed to be honest.

Lychee I Scream

the icecream started to melt big time with all those lights i switched to take out the photo....maybe i should rename it as lychee smoothie??

i love ice-cream and i can keep eating it even when i know i gotta stop or my clothes are going to get too tight... but i am adult na, so no more.. 'i think you have had enough' bakwass from my sis!!(older sisters are too bossy, i tell ya).
When Sig of Live to Eat announced the AFAM as lychee.. my mind went to the lychee ice-cream i had in india. It was delicious and the fragrance.. yes fragrance not aroma, the ice-cream gave was a treat for my mouth and my nose... i think i did smell the ice-cream a lil too many times, coz i got the 'look' from my sis... had to stop then :(

Here is my recipe..as always i try to make it low fat...so that i can eat more without the guilt...he he he

Ingredients:

3 cups low fat milk (i used 2% organic)
1 cup fat free condensed milk
1 cup sugar
12 lychees- sliced (pitted of-course!)
1/2 tsp. cardamom (love cardamom)
2 lychees cut in cubes - for decoration

Method:

Combine the milk and the 1/2 the condensed milk on medium-low flame and cook till reduced in half. It should be much thicker than what you have started with.

In the blender add the 12 lychees,remaining condensed milk and sugar. Puree this well and add to the thickened milk mixture.

Add the cardamom powder to the above, cook the milk mixture for a few more minutes. Take this away from heat and let it cool.

Now pour this into individual ramekins or a big bowl and freeze till the ice-cream is set.

Before serving, chop up remaining lychees and add on top of the ice-cream and in the bowl you are serving this yummy thing.

Note: this is not too smooth like the ones we get in stores or i guess even with an ice-cream maker.
another point, to make it creamier, you should probably take out the ice-cream when it is partially set and churn it well in the blender and allow it to reset. this gives a creamier version.... but i am lazy and decided to deal with any ice-crystals that would come my way (surprisingly- they were none!)

Sour Cherry Cobbler

I live in Michigan and we have sour cherry grown in abundance. I went to whole foods the other day and i saw mounds of these grown by local farmers.. so i went ahead and got lots of them to snack on and make this cobbler. To be honest i was not a great fan of pitting them tho.. that was a royal pain..

For the cobbler you need:

Ingredients

Cherry Part:

Cherry - 2 cups
Sugar - 3/4 cup
All purpose flour - 1 tbls
Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp. (optional..i love cardamom)

Cobbler Part? :

All purpose flour - 1 cup
Unsalted butter - 1/4 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 cup (this event is sugar high fridays right ;)
Milk - 8 oz (i used 1% organic milk)- can sub with soy too

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Melt the butter in a pan. Add in flour,baking powder,sugar, milk and whisk to a smooth batter.

3. Mix the cherries,sugar,flour and cardamom powder lightly.

4. Pour the batter in 4 individual serving dishes (i used mini loaf pans - actually they were not too mini!), and spooned the cherries on top.

5. Bake for 50 minutes and when it cools down serve it with ice-cream if you want to go nuts!

This is my entry to Sugar High Fridays hosted by
Johanna who blogs at the passionate cook.

Peanutty Noodles

One more view...


Noodles.. my go to dish when i am lazy to make anything. It is so easy to make .. a lil bit of this.. a dash of that.. tons of this.. and it is ready..
I think me wanting to make this dish came in after i saw ina garten showing some cold noodle dish in her show. Of-course her being the contessa of all things fatty.. she just went about her dish with just this and that.. translate as lots of fat and lots of fat.. i like her tho.. she seems friendly

Here is the recipe, as usual can be modified and u can add or take out stuff u don't like.. but the way i make is the best ;) he he

Ingredients:

2 fistfuls of fettucine (actually udon would be better)
salt- 1 tsp
2 cups of veggies combined (i put carrots,snow peas,edamame)
1/2 onion - thinly sliced
4 pods garlic - crushed
1/2 inch ginger- cut in small pcs
2 green chillied - cut in small pcs
sesame oil - 1 tsp
vegan bullion - 1 (i used the salt free-organic)
4 tbls of water

Sauce:
Peanut butter - 2 tbls (i used natural-chunky)
Tamari -2 tbls (can sub with soy sauce)
Red Chilly sauce - 1 tbls
Green Chilly Sauce -1 tbls
Rice wine vinegar - 1 tbls ( use any vinegar on hand)
2 tbls of water

Method:

1. Cook the fettucine on lots of water and salt,drain and keep aside.

2. In a huge saucepan/wok heat the oil, when it starts to smoke ( u see some wisps of smoke), add in the garlic,ginger,g.chilly and the onions and fry for a couple of minutes. Add in the veggies, and the bullion cube (crush it between ur fingers). Saute this in med-high heat and keep adding tbls of water as needed, do not add oil as the peanut-butter has enough already!

3. In a bowl whisk all the ingredients for the sauce and keep aside.

4. When the veggies are cooked to crisp tender, add in the fettucine and give it a good mix. Whisk the dressing once more in the bowl and add to the fetuccine and toss it well.

5. Serve this hot.. if it cools down, the fettucine keeps absorbing the sauce.

Varum Arashi Adhai....Plain Rice Pancakes

When i found that the next JFI event was rice and hosted by Sharmi of
Neivedyam i said..correction yelled YES! and what did i do for a month coming up to the event.. make different types of rice.. did i take any photos..no! i just felt, this was not enough for my entry.. maybe i will make this or maybe that thing i had in india. I was into this huge drama.. as rice is my favorite. I love rice and cannot live without it.. it is dramatic but i am sticking to it :)

In the end i decided to make a dish that truely shows the beauty of rice and my mind went to varum arashi adhai. i love this breakfast and it really sticks and i mean sticks to your stomach.. i do not know why! as they say carbs make you hungry really fast..this dish is only carbs!!

For the adhai you need

Ingredients:
boiled raw rice (i used ponni)- 3 cups
salt - as needed
oil- for making adhai

Method:

1. Soak the raw rice for 24 hours with sufficient water

2. Grind this to a smooth batter. It must be smooth. I have an american mixie and was able to do this, it just takes longer that a summet or grinder. The batter must be a little thick and not thin like a dosa batter.

3. Heat a griddle and pour the batter like you would do for dosa.. the difference is you need not spread it out too much, as this is a adhai. Honestly, the batter moves out on its own.. do not do it further.

4. Drizzle oil on sides and flip over when one side it done and cook the other side too.

5. These will not brown up like dosa. They will get shiny.. so you know these are done.

6. Serve with chutney ( i did with peanut) and keep eating..that is for u kids.. ladies or gents, please keep making!

Masaledar Paneer

Paneer marinating in spices



I love paneer and i think yogurt and paneer are the only things that keep me away from becoming a vegan tomorrow! This is a easy and quick recipe and can be had straight-up as a snack or even in the evening after a long day of doing nothing ;) with some beer or my favorite margaritas (yummy!). I actually decided to make this when i was hungry one evening and wanted something substantial but high in protein. I chanced upon the half block of paneer in my fridge and just went ahead with it.It was really good with a good squirt of lime on top.

I am submitting this to 'Think Spice' monthly event which is started by Sunita of
Sunita's World

So without any more delay... here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Paneer - 200 gms ( 1/2 a big block)
Garlic- 1 pod, crushed
Olive oil - 1 tsp (yes... just 1:)
Red Chilli Powder -1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder -1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder -1/2 tsp
Chat Masala - 1/4 tsp
Salt- 1/4 tsp ( as chat masala has quite a lot)
Kasoori Methi - 1 tsp
Cumin (whole) - 1 tsp
Lime-1/2

Method

1. Cut paneer in chunky cubes and keep aside.

2. Crush or finely chop the garlic.

3. Take a ziplock, put in all the ingredients except the paneer and shake well.

4. Add the paneer blocks to the above marinade, jiggle the packet well so that the spices coat, you have to work on the coating as there is very little oil. Let the marinated panner rest for 15-20 mts.

5. Heat a griddle pan in medium high heat and add the paneer to the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes on both sides, till lightly brown.

6. Done! now sprinkle the juice of half a lime to this and you have a snack ready!

In hindsight, i would also add slivered onions with the lemons at the end, i think it would taste really good.